the Carrington family--I feel that
he was taken away from the evil to come.

"Of the others forming that little company Flora Arnott too died young.
Mary Leslie married and moved away, and I have lost sight of her for
many years. Carrie Howard lived to become a wife and mother, but was
called away from earth years ago. The same words would tell Isabel
Carleton's story.

"Lucy Carrington and I are the only ones left, and she, like myself, has
children and grandchildren. I hear from her now and then, and we meet
occasionally when I go North or she pays a visit to the old home at
Ashlands."

"Mrs. Ross," said Rosie half in assertion, half inquiringly.

"Yes, that is her married name."

"And Aunt Sophy who lives at Ashlands now, is--"

"The widow of Lucy's older brother Harry, and also your Grandma Rose's
sister; as you all know."

"Mamma," said Walter, "you didn't mention Grandma Rose at all in telling
your story of that Christmas and New Year's. Wasn't she there?"

"No, my son; my father--your grandpa--and I were living alone together
at that time. The next summer we went North, and while there visited at
Elmgrove, Mr. Allison's country seat, which gave papa and Miss Rose an
opportunity to become quite well acquainted.

"I had known and loved Miss Rose before, and was very glad when papa
told me she had consented to become his wife and my mother.

"They were married in the fall and when we returned to the Oaks she was
with us.

"That made my next Christmas and New Year still happier than the last,
and when yet another came round my treasures had been increased in
number by the advent of a darling little brother."

"Uncle Horace," said Walter. "Mamma, were you very glad when God gave
him to you?"

"Indeed I was!" she answered with a smile. "I had never had a brother or
sister and had often been hungry for one.

"And he has always been a dear, loving brother to me," she went on, "and
your Aunt Rose, who came to us while we were in Europe some eight years
later, as sweet a sister as any one could desire."

"But about those holidays, mamma, the first when you had a brother?"
persisted Walter; "aren't you going to tell about them?"

"Yes," she answered; "it was a particularly enjoyable time, for we had
our cousins--Mildred and Annis Keith--with us. Mildred, though, had
become Mrs. Landreth, and had her husband and baby boy with her.

"Annis was a dear, lovable little girl just about my own age. They spent